ROCKY MOUNTAIN
The Geologic Story of the Rocky Mountain National Park Colorado
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CONTENTS.

Cover

Introduction
   Location and character
   A brief historical sketch
   In the days of the aborigines
   Accessibility
   A general outlook

The making and shaping of the mountains
   Geology and scenery
   Before the Rockies were born
   The birth of the Rockies
   How the mountains grew
   How the mountains were shaped
      Work of rain
      Work of frost
      Work of streams
         Methods of work
         Streams of park exceptional
         Stripping of the mountains
         An old plain of erosion
         Many periods of uplift
      Work of ice
         When and why glaciers form
         Living glaciers
         Ancient glaciers
            Fall River Glacier
            Thompson Glacier
            Bartholf Glacier
            Mills Glacier
            Wild Basin Glacier
            Glaciers of North Fork and its tributaries
            Glaciers in the northern part of the park
         How the glaciers worked

Approaches to the park
   Loveland to Estes Park
   Lyons to Estes Park
   Ward to Estes Park
   Grand Lake route

The park as seen from the trails
   Black Canyon trail
   Lawn Lake
   Hagues Peak and Hallett Glacier
   Roaring River
   Horseshoe Falls
   Fall River road
   Trail ridge
   Specimen Mountain
   Milner Pass
   High Drive
   Moraine Park
   Fern Lake and Odessa Gorge
   Sprague Glacier
   Flattop trail
   Bierstadt Lake
   Flattop Mountain
   Glaciers and gorges south of Flattop
   West of the Continental Divide
   Bartholf Park
   Bear Lake
   Loch Vale
   Lake Mills
   Estes Park to Longs Peak
      Routes
      Longs Peak Inn
      Twin Sisters
      Longs Peak trail
      Points of interest near timber line
         Mills Moraine
         The Chasm
         Timber-line trees
      Ascent of Longs Peak
   North St. Vrain River
   Wild Basin

An appreciation

Index (omitted from the online edition)



ILLLUSTRATIONS.

PLATE

I. Map of the Rocky Mountain National Park
II. Falls at the mouth of Glacier Gorge
III. A, Carboniferous landscape; B, Modern landscape in the Rocky Mountain National Park
IV. A, Brontosaurus; B, Stegosaurus
V. A, Pterodactyl; B, Allosaurus
VI. A, Tylosaurus; B, Spoon-billed dinosaur
VII. Panoramas of Estes Park
VIII. Map of ancient glaciers
IX. Flattop Peneplain
X. Narrows of Thompson Canyon: View near mouth of canyon; Tilted quartzites; Sedimentary rocks of the foothills
XI. Rapids in Thompson Canyon: A typical scene; A pinnacle in the canyon wall; Water versus rocks; A "pothole"
XII. Views in the canyon of the St. Vrain: A, Rapid and crag; B, Steamboat Rock
XIII. Scenes in the valley of the North Fork of Grand River: A, Cascade Falls; B, Lodge on the North Fork
XIV. Views near Estes Park: A, Estes Park and Longs Peak from Stanley Hotel; B, A remnant of erosion
XV. Black Canyon: A, The Needles; B, Twin Owls
XVI. A, Lawn Lake region; B, Hallett Glacier
XVII. A, A glacial cirque; B, View from Hallett Glacier
XVIII. Scenes on Hallett Glacier: Entering a crevasse; Interior of a crevasse; Icebergs
XIX. A, View from High Drive; B, Glacial moraine south of Horseshoe Park
XX. A, Horseshoe Falls; B, Rapids on Roaring River
XXI. Scenes on Fall River: A beaver dam; Fall River valley; Glacial cirque at head of Fall River
XXII. Scenes from the Continental Divide: A, The Never-Summer Range; B, Crest of Front Range
XXIII. Specimen Mountain: A, Gulch on Specimen Mountain; B, Breccia and conglomerate
XXIV. A, Odessa Gorge; B, Bierstadt Lake
XXV. Winter sports: On Fern Lake; Snowshoeing on the Continental Divide; Sprague Glacier
XXVI. Timberline trees in Odessa Gorge: A, Dwarfed trees; B, A Limber pine
XXVII. Scenes on Milk Creek: Ruined beaver lodge; Glacial bowlder; Forests destroyed by fire
XXVIII. Scenes on Flattop Trail: Guide monument; Longs Peak and Glacier Gorge; Hallett Peak
XXIX. How a glacier is fed; A hanging glacier; An arm of Tyndall Glacier
XXX. Bergschrund on Tyndall Glacier; Enos A. Mills; Beaver lodge; Bighorn sheep
XXXI. A, Andrews Glacier; B, Side of Andrews Glacier
XXXII. A, Bear Lake and Hallett Peak; B, Lilypad Lake
XXXIII. Loch Vale
XXXIV. Scenes near Longs Peak: Fire observer's station; Balanced rock; Timber-line trees on Twin Sisters; Trail makers; View from Cabin Rock
XXXV. A, Mills Moraine; B, The Chasm on Longs Peak
XXXVI. A, Wall of The Chasm; B, Chasm Lake
XXXVII. A, Timber line on Longs Peak; B, A pine tree at timber-line
XXXVIII. Timber-line trees on Longs Peak: Trees sheared by snow blasts; Where trees grow lying down; "The Winged Victory"
XXXIX. Scenes on Longs Peak: A, Bowlder Field; B, The Keyhole
XL. The Trough on Longs Peak
XLI. A pocket lake in Glacier Gorge
XLII. Views near the top of Longs Peak: The Notch; The Narrows; Home Stretch; An ice-smoothed rock
XLIII. A, Copeland Lake; B, Melting basin and lateral moraine of Wild Basin Glacier
XLIV. Views in Wild Basin: A, Longs Peak and Thunder Lake; B, Rapids on the St. Vrain
XLV. Thunder Lake and Mount Alice


FIGURE

1. Map showing routes to the Rocky Mountain National Park
2. Profile section across the Rocky Mountains through Longs Peak and Grand Lake
3. Leg bones of a dinosaur
4. Map of North America showing distribution of land and sea in Upper Cretaceous time
5. Sketch map showing the glacial moraines in the valley of the North Fork of Grand River
6. A, Stream-cut valley; B, Same valley after glaciation



UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
FRANKLIN K. LANE, Secretary

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
STEPHEN T. MATHER, Director

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Last Updated: 11-Dec-2006